Paper folding device



Aug. 2, 1960 I. H. MARTIN 2,947,536

PAPER FOLDING DEVICE Filed June 5, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I A g so 3 l n q I0 I u 5 4 5 FIG. 1

INVENTOR /L/FF H. MAR T/A/ ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1960 Filed June 5, 1957 I. H. MARTIN PAPER FOLDING DEVICE FIG. 4

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR /L/FF H. MART/N ATTORNE Aug. 2, 1960 Filed Jun :s, 1957 l. H. MARTIN PAPER FOLDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'IOBA FIG. 5

INVENTOR lL/FF H. MAR T/N ATTORNEY United States This invention relates to a paper folding device and more particularly to an arrangement for folding a strip of paper such as is used in transit proof and other machines in a zig-zag staggered formation for safekeeping and ready reference.

Modern transit proof machines such as are used in banks, for example, consume large quantities of paper in strip form. The paper stn'pon which numerical entries have been made by a proof machine is customarily allowed to accumulate on the floor adjacent to such a machine. At the end of the day the paper accumulated haphazardly on the floor is rolled up and filed for future reference. While lying on the floor the paper is in danger of being stepped on and thereby may be soiled or torn. Furthermore, it is particularly difiicult and time-consuming to locate a particular entry after the paper is rolled up and filed.

A principal object of this invention is to provide means for folding proof machine paper in such a way as to enhance accessibility to any desired portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for folding and for temporarily storing proof machine paper in a secure place.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary device capable of use in conjunction with a proof machine which device is adapted to fold the machine paper and to store it temporarily thereby to prevent the accumulation of the paper on the floor and also to render the paper accessible for ready inspection at any time. j

The invention in one form comprises two spaced pairs of relatively separable creasing elements, an oscillatable element disposed between the pairs of creasing elements, injecting means movably mounted on the oscillatable element, and motive means for imparting operating movement to the various components in the proper sequence whereby a roll of paper is folded sequentially in a zigzag fashion by the two pairs of creasing elements following movement of the paper therebetween by the injecting means. Subsequent to a creasing operation the paper is removed by suitable ejecting means also movable in coordination with movement of the other components.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a proof machine on which the device comprising the invention is mounted; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the circuit used to energize the electric motor of the paper folding device together with a schematically represented tension responsive cut-off means; Fig. 3 is a side view of the auxiliary paper folding device shown in Fig. 1 atop the proof machine; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the auxiliary paper folding device of Fig. 3 taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and in which Fig. 5 is a plan view of the auxiliary paper folding machine shown in Fig. 3 with the cover 8 removed i.e. along the line 5--5 thereof of Fig. 3.

As is shown in Fig. 1 the numeral 1 generally desigice nates a transit proof machine of the type customarily used in banks and other similar institutions. Mounted atop the proof machine 1 is a paper folding device generally designated by the numeral 2. As will be more fully explained, the strip of paper 3 bearing suitable indicia is fed out of the machine 1 and according to this invention is folded and accumulated within the auxiliary paper folding device generally designated by the numeral 2.

As is shown in Fig. l the auxiliary paper folding device 2 comprises a base portion 4 on which a plurality of rubber feet 5 are mounted, side portions 6 and 7, and top portion 8. An access door 9 is mounted by hinges 10 to side wall 6 and is provided with a handle 11.

Should changes in the rate at which paper is folded by device 2 occur, or should changes in the rate at which paper is fed from the machine 1 take place, the paper strip 3 might be torn. In order to guard against differences in the speed at which paper passes through the two machines 1 and 2, a tension responsive means is pro vided whereby if the paper 3 becomes too tight the folding machine 2 ceases to operate temporarily. As is shown in Fig. 1 the paper strip 3 is fed over a roll 12 pivoted at 13 to the portion 14 of the paper folding device 2.

The paper strip 3 passes from roll 12 over roll 15 pivoted at 16 to arm 17 of insulating material which in turn is pivoted at 18 to the top portion 8 of the auxiliary device 2. Paper passes over roll 15 and is guided downwardly over roll 19 pivoted at 20 to suitable supporting structure 21 disposed within the top portion 14 of device 2. Thus it will be seen that tension in paper strip 3 tends to impart counter-clockwise rotation to arm 17 about its pivot 18. Arm 17 is biased in a clockwise direction by spring means 22 afiixed at its right-hand end to supporting structure 23 and at its left-hand end to an adjustable pin 24 extending through an opening within the arm 17. Ohviously the tension of spring 22 is adjustable by means of the nut 25 which is threadedly mounted on the pin 24. Thus under normal conditions the arm 17 occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, that is with the contact bar 26 in engagement with the fixed contacts 27 and 28 thereby to complete a 'circuit from the sourcejof alternating current schematically indicated at 29 t0 the motor M. If however the tension in paper strip 3 is: increased for any reason the arm 17 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot 18 and the switch contact 26 moves to the left so as to interrupt the dew of current to motor M until such time as the tension in paper strip 3 is reduced sufliciently to allow spring 22 again to close the contact 26.

Paper supplied to the device 2 is folded therein as will be explained and accumulates on the bottom part 4 there of. Such paper after it is folded may be removed through the opening 30 formed in side wall 6 as is best shown in.

Fig. 3.

As is best shown in Fig. 4 side wall 6 is secured in. position on base 4 by means of a bracket 31 and by bolts or rivets 32. Similarly side wall 7- is secured to the lefthand side of base 4 by brackets 33 and pins or bolts 34. The top 8 of the housing for the auxiliary paper folding device is secured to side walls 6 and 7 by screws 35 and 36 respectively. Paper strip 3 is fed into paper folding device 2 through a slot 37 formed in cover 8. A back wall 9A is aifixed to side walls 6 and 7 by screws 9B as is best shown in Fig. 5.

Generally speaking two pairs of creasing devices 38 and 39 are respectively mounted to the side walls 6 and: 7. These creasing devices function to fold and to crease the paper strip 3 in alternate fashion to form a zig-zag stacked pile of paper in cooperation with an injection of the paper in sequence into the space between the creasing devices.

As is best shown in Fig. 4 the paper strip 3 is fed from the slot 37 between a pair of injecting elements 40 and 41 which are fixedly mounted on a rotatable injecting disc 42 which is pivoted at 43 to an oscillatable element 44 which in turn is pivoted at 45 to a base plate 46. Base plate 46 is secured by bracket 47 and bolts 48 to side wall 6 and is also secured by bracket 49 and pins 50 to side wall 7.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 4 a portion 51 of the injecting disc 42 is provided with gear teeth which cooperate with the rack portion v52 of a fixed element 53 which is secured by any suitable arrangement to the side walls 6 and 7. Thus oscillating movement of oscillatable element 44 about its pivot 45 between the elements .38 and 39 results in oscillating rotation of injecting disc 42. Such movement causes injecting element 40 to move between the jaws comprising creasing element 38 and subsequently causes the injecting element 41 to move down and between the creasing elements comprising the creasing device 39. Thus injecting elements 40 and 41 serve to inject portions of strip 3 between the elements of creasing devices 38 and 39 in a desired sequence in coordination with separation of the elements comprising creasing devices 38 and 39.

Operating movement is imparted to oscillatable device 44 by means of an electric motor 54 which is designated M in Fig. 2 and which is mounted by bolts 55 to base 46. The output shaft 56 of motor 54 drives the gears disposed within the gear box 57 and results in rotation of crank arm 58 about its shaft 59 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. Clockwise rotation of crank 58 causes oscillation of link 60 which is pivoted by pin 61 to crank 58 and which in turn is pivoted by pin 62 to oscillatable element 44.

Creasing device 38 comprises a fixed creasing element 63 and a movable creasing element 64 which is pivoted at 65 to a block 66 mounted by pins 67 to the side wall 6. The creasing face of fixed creasing element 63 is provided with resilient material 68 such as live rubber or the like having an irregular high friction surface and the creasing face of movable creasing element 64 is provided with a similar material designated by the numeral 69.

Operating movement to movable creasing element 64 is obtained by a linkage which interconnects the crank 58 on the gear box 57 with the movable creasing element 64. This link-age comprises an arm 70 pivoted at 71 to a fixed element 72 affixed by pins 73 to a strut 74 which in turn is pinned by bolt 75 to side 7 and by bolt 76 to side 6 of the device. Thus clockwise rotation of crank 58 about its center 59 results in a collision between the crank 58 and the lower extremity of the arm 70 thereby to cause the arm 70 to swing toward the right about its fixed pivot 71. Such counter-clockwise swinging move ment of crank arm 70 causes the link 77 to swing bodily toward the right since link 77 is pinned at 78 to crank 70. Due to the pivotal connection 79 between link 77 and the link 80, link 80 is caused to swing with link 84 because links 80 and 84 are affixed to shaft 81 which is rotatably mounted in support blocks 82 which are afiixed by bolts 83 to side wall 6. Sfilch counter-clockwise swinging movement of link 80 about its shaft 81 causes the arm 84 to wing in a counter-clockwise direction about the pin shaft 81 as a center. Such swinging movement of crank 84 causes the movable creasing element 64 to swing in a clockwise direction about its pivots 65 due to the interconnection between the lower end of link 84 and the movable creasing element 64 through the stub 85.. which is aflixed to the creasing element 64 and the link 86 which is pivoted at 87 to the stub 85 and which isin turn pivoted at 88 to the lower extremity of arm 84 I Qbviously the various dimensions and operative relations will be so chosen that the movable creasing element 4 64 would be in its uppermost or separated position when the injecting element 40 swings down between the creasing elements 63 and 64. After the strip 3 has been moved in between the creasing elements 63 and 64 by the injecting element 40 the creasing element 64 is moved downwardly due to the action of its biasing spring 89 which is in the form of a leaf spring afiixed to block 90 mounted atop the support 66 by suitable pins 9 1. Since the injecting element 40 is constructed of smooth metal or other low friction means and since the creasing surfaces of 68 and 69 are of high friction material, subsequent motion of the injecting element 40 in a direction toward the left allows the injecting element 40 to move out from between the creasing elements 63 and 64 and due to the high friction of the surfaces 68 and 69 the paper is retained therebetween so that it is efiectively creased.

Since the creasing device 39 is identical in construction to creasing device 38 and since its operation is the same, the details of device 39 are not described herein except to point out that the corresponding parts of devices 38 and 39 have been designated by the same numerals. Cooperation between the crank 58 and arm 80A is via the arm 93 which is pivoted at 94 to a block 95 secured by any suitable means to the base plate 46 on which the gear box 57 and motor 54 are mounted. Interconnection between the crank arm :80A and the pivotally mounted arm 93 is by a link 96 which is pinned at 97 to the crank 93 and which is pivotally connected at 98 to the crank 80A. Thus rotation of crank 58 results in a collision of this crank and the upper end of pivotally mounted crank 93 which in turn results in swinging movement of crank 80A causing rotation of its shaft 81 to cause opening movement of creasing element 64 of creasing device 39 against the actio'n of biasing leaf spring 89 of device 39. After the paper 3 is injected between the jaws of the device 39 by the injecting element 41 the leaf spring 89 performs a creasing operation and device 41 is removed as in the case of creasing device 38.

After injecting elements 40 and 41 are respectively moved out from between the elements comprising creasing devices 39 and 38 respectively the paper is folded and must thereafter be ejected from the creasing elements. To this end an ejecting arrangement responsive to oscillating movement of arm 44 is provided. Since the injecting apparatus associated with creasing device 38 is identical to that associated with device 39 only one such arrangement will be described, it being understood that corresponding elements comprising each ejecting means are designated by the same reference numerals.

The ejecting device for creasing device 38 constitutes a percussion pin designated by the numeral 100. Pin 100 is fixedly mounted to the oscillatable arm 44. Pivotally mounted to the strut 74 by pin 101 is an arm 102 arranged so that movement toward the right of pin 100 causes the pin to engage the lower end of arm 102 and to swing that arm in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 101. Counter-clockwise movement of arm 102 causes the link 103 to swing bodily to the right since this link is pinned at 104 to the arm 102. Lost motion between these parts is accommodated by a slot 105 formed within the left-hand end of link 103. Pin 104 rides in slot 105. Thus when the pin 104 is at the right-hand extremity of slot 105, engagement of pin 100 with crank 102 causes bodily movement to the right of link 103. V A vertical link 106 is pinned at 107 to the link 103. The upper end of link 106 is secured to shaft 108 rotatablyrnounted in brackets 108A. In Fig. 4 the lower portion of brackets 108A is shown broken away to avoid obscuring a view of parts 106109 inclusive. Thus movement to the right of link 103 causes link 106 to swing in a counter-clockwise direction with shaft 108. Such movement in turn causes the link 109 which is securely affixed to the opposite end of shaft 108 toswing upwardly in an arcuate movement counter-clockwise about the shaft 108. Such swinging movement causes the link 110 to move upwardly since link 110 is pivoted at 111 to arm 109. Such movement of arm 109 and link 110 in a counter-clockwise direction about shaft 108 is against the action of biasing spring 112. Since the lower end of link 110 is pivoted at 113 to a link 114 which in turn is pivoted by pin 115 to the support block 66 the left-hand end of link 114 is thus caused to move downwardly. Such downward movement of the left-hand end of link 114 causes the ejecting element 116 to move downwardly and to engage the paper strip 3 at a point adjacent to the left-hand edge of the now opened creasing device 38. In this way the paper strip is ejected from between the jaws of the creasing device 38. Of course subsequent movement of the oscillatable element 44 causes the pin 100 to move out of engagement from the crank link 102 and thereby permits the biasing spring 112 to restore the ejecting mechanism to its normal position shown in Fig. 4.

The paper strip is subsequently ejected in the next cycle of operation from the jaws of the creasing device 39 by ejecting apparatus identical in structure and function to that described above in connection with creasing device 38.

Thus it will be understood that after a period of time, a quantity of the paper strip 3' will be accumulated in staggered relation on the base plate 4 as indicated at 3A. In order to remove such an accumulation of paper it is simply necessary for the operator to reach in through the window 30 as shown in Fig. 3 and to lift the entire paper stack out of the machine and thereafter to file it. Due to the staggered formation of the paper, ready reference may be had to any desired bit of information on the roll. Furthermore, it will be understood that accumulation of the paper within the paper folding device 2 as above described prevents its accumulation on the floor about the machine 1 and thereby prevents operators or other persons from walking on the paper and by so doing prevents undesired soiling or mutilation of the paper due to inadvertence on the part of those working in the vicinity.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of the invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto and intend in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device for imparting a folding and creasing operation to a continuous strip of paper, said device comprising a first pair of biased closed separable creasing elements, a second pair of biased closed separable creasing elements arranged in spaced relation to said first pair of elements, oscillatable injecting means disposed between said pairs of elements rotatably, a pair of injecting elements mounted on said oscillatable injecting means, each of said injecting elements being arranged to engage the paper roll and to move a part thereof between the creasing elements comprising one of said pairs upon separation thereof, motive means for imparting operating movement to each of said injecting elements in coordination with separation of its associated pair of creasing elements, means responsive to excess tension in the paper being supplied to said machine for deenergizing said motive means, and an ejector element disposed adjacent each of said pairs of creasing elements and responsive to movement of said oscillatable injecting means for respectively removing the parts of said roll from between its associated creasing elements, each ejector element being arranged to perform an ejecting operation in connection with its associated creasing elements immediately before a succeeding injecting operation of the associated injector element and while the paper is securely gripped by the other pair of creasing elements.

2. A paper folding and creasing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable creasing elements, motive means operably related with a movable one of said creasing elements for moving said movable element in a direction away from the other of said creasing elements to define a space therebetween, a pivotally mounted oscillatable element operably related with said motive means, means responsive to excess tension in the paper being folded for deenergizing said motive means, injecting means rotatably mounted on said oscillatable element and having a driving portion, means engageable with said driving portion for causing rotation of said injecting means in coordination with swinging movement of said oscillatable element, an injecting element mounted on said injecting means and movable into the space between said creasing elements upon separation thereof, and an ejector element responsive to a paper injecting movement of said oscillatable element for extracting paper creased by said creasing elements during the immediately preceding creasing operation.

3. A paper folding and creasing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable creasing elements biased toward engagement with each other, an oscillatable element sequentially movable toward and away from said creasing elements, injecting means movably mounted on said oscillatable element, an injecting element mounted on said injecting means, said injecting element being bodily movable laterally into and out of the space between said creasing elements, means for imparting separating movement to said creasing elements in coordination with movement of said injecting element whereby paper to be folded is moved by said injecting element between said creasing elements and is there folded due to the bias acting to move said creasing elements into paper creasing engagement, means responsive to predetermined tension in the paper being folded for arresting operating movement of the machine, and paper ejecting means responsive to injecting movement of said oscillatable element for removing the paper folded during the immediately preceding creasing operation from between said creasing elements immediately before the performance of a paper injecting operation.

4. A paper folding and creasing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable creasing elements, a live rubber creasing face having an irregular creasing surface mounted on opposed surfaces of said creasing elements, a pivotally mounted oscillatable element sequentially movable toward and away from said creasing elements, injecting means movably mounted on said oscillatable element, a substantially round, rod-like injecting element having a low friction surface and mounted on said injecting means, said injecting element being bodily movable laterally into and out of the space between said creasing elements, means for imparting movement to said creasing elements in coordination with movement of said injecting element, and an ejector element responsive to a paper injecting movement of said oscillatable element for extracting paper creased by said creasing elements during the immediately preceding creasing operation.

5. A paper folding and creasing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable creasing elements biased toward engagement with each other, a live rubber creasing face having an irregular creasing surface mounted on opposed surfaces of said creasing elements, a pivotally mounted oscillatable element sequentially movable toward and away from said creasing elements, motive means for driving said oscillatable element, injecting means movably mounted on said oscillatable element, driving means, means forming an operative relation between said driving means and said injecting means whereby movement of said oscillatable element results in coordinated movement of said injecting means, an injecting element having a low friction surface and mounted on said injecting means, means for imparting separating movement to said creasing elements in coordination with movement of said injecting element, means responsive to excessive tension in the paperbeing supplied to said machine for deenergizingsaid'motive means, and an'ejector element responsive to a paper injecting movement of said oscillatable element for extracting paper creased by said creasing elements during the 'immediately'preceding creasing operation.

6. A paper folding and creasing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable creasing elements biased toward engagement with eachother, an'oscillatab'le element sequentially movable toward and away from said creasing elements, inject-ing means movably mounted on said oscillatable element, an injecting element mounted on said injecting means,sa'id -injecting element being bodily movable laterally into and out of the space betweenjsaid creasing elements, means for imparting separating movement to said creasing elements in coordination with movement of said injecting element whereby paper to be folded is moved by said injecting element between said creasing elements and ,is there folded .due to the bias acting to move said creasing "elements into paper creasing engagement, and means responsive to a predetermined condition of the paper being folded for arresting operating movement of the machine and for initiating operating movement'in response to the supplying to the machine of a predetermined length 'of paper to be folded following an arresting operation, paper folded by said creasing ele ments during the immediately preceding creasing operation being removed therefrom immediately before the performance of a paper injecting operationby -said injection element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS um-w 

